perilous

adjective

per·​il·​ous ˈper-ə-ləs 

ˈpe-rə-

: full of or involving peril

a perilous journey

perilously adverb

perilousness noun

Synonyms of perilous

• dangerous
• hazardous
• risky
• serious

Choose the Right Synonym for perilous

dangerous, hazardous, precarious, perilous, risky mean bringing or involving the chance of loss or injury.

dangerous applies to something that may cause harm or loss unless dealt with carefully.

soldiers on a dangerous mission

hazardous implies great and continuous risk of harm or failure.

claims that smoking is hazardous to your health

precarious suggests both insecurity and uncertainty.

earned a precarious living by gambling

perilous strongly implies the immediacy of danger.

perilous mountain roads

risky often applies to a known and accepted danger.

shied away from risky investments

Examples of perilous in a Sentence

a perilous journey across the mountains

a perilous journey through hostile territory

Recent Examples on the Web

Facing violence at home in Myanmar and increasingly difficult living conditions in sprawling refugee camps in Bangladesh, Rohingya from both countries regularly attempt perilous journeys by sea, including to Malaysia and Indonesia. —Reuters, CNN Money, 9 Nov. 2025

From Tapachula, migrants began the long and perilous trek through Mexico to the United States, often in large caravans. —Daniel Gonzalez, USA Today, 9 Nov. 2025

Blakely acknowledges that a sustainable path forward for CoreWeave is perilous. —Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 8 Nov. 2025

In the Zootopia sequel directed by Jared Bush and Bryon Howard, brave rabbit cop Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin) and her friend, the fox Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman), team up again to crack the most perilous and intricate case of their careers. —Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 6 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English perilous, perelous, borrowed from Anglo-French perilleus, perillous, going back to Latin perīculōsus, from perīculum "test, risk, peril entry 1" + -ōsus -ous

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for perilous

• carolus
• garrulous
• querulous
• puberulous

Kids Definition

perilous

adjective

per·​il·​ous ˈper-ə-ləs 

: full of or involving peril

perilously adverb

perilousness noun